Jaguars more focused on starting new trend

Cedar Shoals coach Scott Wilkins knows the value of a good history lesson.

But ask the AP U.S. history teacher about last season's games against Clarke Central and he would rather talk about the present.

It's not hard to blame him for looking to the future after those losses, the Jaguars' only two of the season. Cedar Shoals outgained the Gladiators 468-61 in the first game - a 24-20 loss in which the Gladiators returned two kickoffs for touchdowns - and racked up 153 more yards than the Gladiators in the second game, in which J.B. Erickson kicked the winning field goal to break a tie and prevent Cedar Shoals from earning a playoff berth.

"You can think about last year all you want," Wilkins said. "A lot of people really dwell on the past but you can't change it. You want to learn from it, but you can't change it. If you've made your notes and you've recognized where you made your mistakes and you move forward then there's no need to stay in the past.

Early indications show that Wilkins, like any good historian, learned from those losses.

During spring practice, Wilkins dedicated the bulk of his time to working on specials teams, which proved to be the Jaguars' Achilles' heel in both games.

The addition of kicker Joseph Harrison gives the Jaguars the threat of kicking touchbacks.

"We needed a big kicker like that," senior running back and defensive back Hykeem Hall said. "We've got a touchdown kicker and a field goal kicker. (Harrison) has a big strong leg and (Josh Pierce) can do it. They're going to help us out. They're going to be a big part of the game in the special teams."

Like Wilkins, Hall maintains that last season's upsets are in the deep recesses of his mind. He said this is a new year, a different team.

But that doesn't diminish the meaning of the rivalry.

Senior lineman Taylor Pass said he gets an earful about the game in school, on the street and even at church. Hall said he talks to players from Clarke Central on the Internet.

"We (converse) on the computer," Hall said. "We talk on MySpace and Bebo. We go back and forth at it. We know everybody's hyping it up. On my page I've got 'We R Ready for CC' and they've got, 'We're ready for Cedar.' "

Pass hopes Cedar Shoals' revamped special teams and restructured offense - the Jaguars changed from the Wing-T to the spread - will prevent him from experiencing the feelings he had after losing to Clarke Central last season.

"The second half of the Oconee County game (the offense) started clicking, and everything started going our way," Pass said. "I think it gives us a better edge because (Clarke) doesn't really know what's going to be going on. Plays are coming out of every direction."